This invention relates to an apparatus being arranged to mount on a truck box for loading an object into the truck box and more particularly to an apparatus being arranged to support a small recreational vehicle thereon for loading the vehicle into the truck box.
When using small recreational vehicles including snowmobiles and the like it is often desirable to transport the vehicles from one location to another. This is typically accomplished using a small trailer or in some cases a lift which is adapted to mount in the box of a conventional pick up truck. The majority of snowmobiles do not have a reverse gear and thus the use of a simple ramp mounted on a truck bed is generally not sufficient to assist someone in unloading the snowmobile from a truck bed. While trailers are useful for supporting these vehicles thereon, a trailer is large and difficult to store when not in use and is often relatively expensive.
Known lifts for mounting in a box of a truck however, are also of significant size often involving a large deck for supporting the vehicle thereon and a complex powered linkage arranged to lift the deck into the box of the truck. While these lifts are generally more compact than a trailer, the complex powered linkage which is required to raise the deck into the box is relatively costly and includes numerous moving parts which may require maintenance. Furthermore, known lifts generally require some form of modification to the truck box for mounting the lift to the truck at a plurality of mounting points. The task of installing or removing the lift from the truck is thus difficult and time consuming.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for loading an object onto a truck having a truck box and a pair of tailgate mounts which are laterally spaced apart across a rear end of the truck box for mounting a tailgate thereon, the apparatus comprising:
a pair of mounting elements arranged to mount on the respective tailgate mounts of the truck box;
a shaft supported on the pair of mounting elements for rotation about an axis extending between the mounting elements;
a sprocket coupled to the shaft for rotation therewith;
a frame supported on the shaft to extend transversely thereto and being arranged to support the object thereon;
a rack mounted on a bottom side of the frame for engaging the sprocket such that the frame is displaced transversely to the shaft in a longitudinal direction when the sprocket is rotated; and
drive means for driving rotation of the shaft;
the frame being movable with rotation of the shaft between a loading position in which the frame extends rearwards from the forward end supported on the shaft to the rearward end supported on the ground and a loaded position in which the frame extends forwards from the rearward end supported on the shaft to the forward end supported on the truck box.
The mounting elements of the present invention allows the apparatus to be easily mounted on a truck box without any modification to the truck box, other than the removal of the tailgate. The apparatus is simple in construction with few inexpensive parts such that maintenance as well as mounting and removal of the apparatus from a truck box are accomplished with little effort. A vehicle supported on the apparatus is movable with the frame between the loaded and loading positions such that the vehicle is on an incline for unloading. This is particularly useful to assist in unloading a snowmobile which does not have a reverse gear.
There may be provided a cross member mounted at respective ends on the mounting elements, the cross member being arranged to support the shaft thereon.
The cross member is preferably adjustable in length such that the mounting elements are arranged to mount on various sizes of trucks.
There may provided a bumper support coupled to the cross member and being arranged to support the cross member on a bumper of the truck.
The bumper support is preferably adjustable in height for supporting the cross member at any one of numerous selected spacings above the bumper in use.
The frame preferably comprises a pair of spaced apart rails, each rail having a pair of upwardly extending side flanges for guiding a recreational vehicle thereon.
There may be provided a plurality of telescoping crossbars coupled between the rails for coupling the rails together at any one of numerous selected spacings therebetween.
Preferably there is provided a pair of sprockets mounted on the shaft and a pair of racks being mounted on the respective rails, the racks being arranged to engage the sprockets respectively.
The sprockets may be adjustably mounted on the shaft for mounting the sprockets at a selected spacing therebetween corresponding to a selected spacing of the rails.
The sprockets are preferably mounted on respective collars, the collars being mounted for longitudinal sliding movement on the shaft.
The collars and a corresponding portion of the shaft slidably mounting the collars thereon each preferably have a rectangular cross section such that the collars are arranged to be rotated with the shaft.
Preferably there is provided box engaging means at a forward end of the frame being arranged to support the forward end of the frame for longitudinal sliding movement along the truck box. The box engaging means may take the form of a pair of wheels or a pair of runners which function similarly.
Preferably there is provided ground engaging means at a rearward end of the frame being arranged to support the rearward end of the frame for longitudinal sliding movement along the ground. The ground engaging means may comprise a pair of skis or any type of wheel arrangement.
Preferably there is provided a ratchet mechanism coupled to the shaft such that rotation of the shaft in one direction is restricted when the ratchet mechanism is engaged. The use of a 2-way ratchet mechanism of the type commonly used on boat winches is generally preferred.
In one embodiment, the drive means may comprise a manual crank mounted on one end of the shaft for manually rotating the shaft. The shaft may also be driven by an electric motor or a drive box coupled to the engine of the truck for driving the frame between the respective loading and loaded positions. The electric motor would preferably include an integral brake mechanism.
According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus in combination with a truck having a truck box and a pair of tailgate mounts which are laterally spaced apart across a rear end of the truck box for mounting a tailgate thereon, the apparatus comprising:
a pair of mounting elements arranged to mount on the respective tailgate mounts of the truck box;
a shaft supported on the pair of mounting elements for rotation about an axis extending between the mounting elements;
a sprocket coupled to the shaft for rotation therewith;
a frame supported on the shaft to extend transversely thereto and being arranged to support the object thereon;
a rack mounted on a bottom side of the frame for engaging the sprocket such that the frame is displaced transversely to the shaft in a longitudinal direction when the sprocket is rotated; and
drive means for driving rotation of the shaft;
the frame being movable with rotation of the shaft between a loading position in which the frame extends rearwards from the forward end supported on the shaft to the rearward end supported on the ground and a loaded position in which the frame extends forwards from the rearward end supported on the shaft to the forward end supported on the truck box.